This will never work

Description

Once upon a time, traditional video stores were the kings of the field, with VHS tapes that had to be rewound and which resulted in fines if not returned by the stipulated date. Late fines were ubiquitous, video streaming was unheard of, and the widespread adoption of DVD seemed as imminent as flying cars. It was at this lost moment in history, in 1997, that Marc Randolph had an idea. What if they used the internet to rent movies? It wasn't the first idea of its kind. On the way to work, with business partner Reed Hastings, Marc had already talked about a shampoo delivery service and a website to develop personalized baseball bats, among other “heurekas”. But this time Hastings was intrigued, and the pair – Hastings as the lead investor and Randolph as the first CEO – founded a company. With more than 150 million subscribers, Netflix's triumph seems inevitable, but it all started with little faith and many setbacks along the way. This incredible journey is an example of how anyone with courage, instinct and determination can change the world – even if many think their idea will never work.

About the author